


UGLY DUCK (MoonSun)

by TheGayTor



Category: Mamamoo
Genre: Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Drama & Romance, F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-22
Updated: 2018-12-22
Packaged: 2019-09-24 15:58:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 5,129
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17103623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGayTor/pseuds/TheGayTor





	1. Preface

 

**UGLY DUCK**

© 2018 by TheGayTor. All rights reserved.

 

**Tagline**

_I come to you in pieces, so you can make me whole."_  – Red

 

**Disclaimer**

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any form without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations in evaluation.

 

**Summary**

Kim Yong-Sun is head over heels over Moon Byul-Yi but  _he_  is not who she thinks  _he_  is.  _He_  is full of secrets and  _he_  always finds her to be a bit troublesome.


	2. Prologue

Yong-Sun loved her school. It was far away from home. She had to commute there by bus but she did not mind at all. Yong-Sun loved the sceneries she got to see during the trips. Her parents wanted her to go to a nearby school but she refused them. Her sister tried to talk her into it but she failed too. She wanted freedom.

 

Yong-Sun loved her classes. Her teachers were kind but she did not understand the lessons. She was pretty good at failing them. Yong-Sun loved meatbuns. She even spent hours wondering, sometimes, if the feeling was mutual.  _What if they hate her for eating their friends?_  She found them scary so she hastily ate them.

 

Yong-Sun loved her classmates. The pretty girls were talkative. They talked to each other all the time but they rarely talked to her. It made her wonder why sometimes. The ugly boys were mean. They called her funny names. Her best friends -  _no_  - her only friends were Whee-In and Hye-Jin. They were younger than her.

 

Yong-Sun loved Byul-Yi. He was different than her classmates. He talked to her and he called her by her name. He was cute. His nose scrunched up as he smiled at everyone. The pretty girls loved to talk to him and the ugly boys hated to talk to him. Yong-Sun loved to stare at him. He made her feel warm. She loved it.

 

Yong-Sun loved her dog. She named it Jjing Jjing. It was a miniature Schnauzer. It was not a puppy anymore but it was as small as one. She took it out for walks every day, every morning, every evening. She also fed it three times a day. In spite of this, Jjing Jjing left her. Yong-Sun cried sometimes. She thought it loved her.


	3. He's My Lover

 Ahn Hye-Jin's POV

 

Yong-Sun was staring at Byul-Yi again and so did half the girls in this classroom. But the thing of it was, unlike her, they knew when to back down.  _You look away when you're caught staring at your crush, right?_  She was something else. She kept staring until he glared at her in return. They even sat close to each other.

 

* * *

 

Yong-Sun shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She was restless.  _She misses him already. This is bad news_. She was obsessed with him. I tricked Byul-Yi into getting some records from the faculty. It was my duty. I was absolutely not lazy. I was worried for her. I took over his seat. Whee-In sat next to me straightway.

 

"You've never spoken to Byul-Yi."  
"Right."  
"Isn't it weird for you to love him?"

 

Yong-Sun laughed at me. I frowned at her in return. I did not make any joke. I rested my eyes on Whee-In for some sort of explanation. The puppy ignored me. She happily munched her favourite meatbuns. She even dared to give me a threatening glare as soon as she noticed my stare.  _I don't want your fucking_   _meatbuns._

 

"He's my lover. It's natural."  
"Did he ask you out?"  
"No way! We never spoke."

 

Yong-Sun laughed again before her puffy cheeks reddened all of a sudden. She quickly shook her head back and forth. I started to lose my patience. I knew her for ten years already but I could never figure her out. The hit and run did not help either. It worsened it. It even made her mind work in a special way.  _Innocent_.

 

"So how did you become lovers?"  
"We eat lunch together."  
"He eats in his seat, next to you."  
"He cleans up after me."  
"You are paired with him in labs."  
"We go home together."  
"He lives in a dorm. You stalker."

 

Yong-Sun pouted every time I butted in her logics. Whee-In laughed at our seemingly funny conversation as she popped another meatbun into her mouth. I looked daggers at her. I wished it choked her before I looked back at Yong-Sun. Her sniffles made my heart melt. I heaved a deep sigh.  _Is she running out of reasons?_

 

"He helps me with my exercises."  
"So? He's the monitor."  
"He waits for me even if I'm late."  
"He does head counts."  
"He calls me by my given name."  
"Uh-huh. Who doesn't?"  
"He smiles when our eyes meet."

 

 _He glares when your eyes meet_. I wanted to tell her the truth but she was already in tears. She bit her lower lip as she trembled under my penetrating stare. Whee-In was about to say something but I hurriedly struck her stomach from under the table.  _Why_? I read her lips. She was gasping for air. I knew this puppy too well.

 

"I'll ask him on our way home then."  
"What?"  
"I'll ask him about us. You just wait."

 

 _No shit_. Whee-In could barely breathe as normal again when I struck her stomach for the second time. I honestly could not care less as I watched the puppy gasping for air. Yong-Sun got my full attention. She was unbelievable. I had to do something, anything, to stop her oblivious confession.  _What do I do? Do I warn him?_

 

* * *

Jung Whee-In's POV

 

I coughed some meatbuns into the sink as I massaged my stomach. I loved Hye-Jin, as a friend, but she kept crossing the line. We were now in the restroom where I puked my heart out while she frowned at me in utter disgust.  _You make me_. We left Yong-Sun in the classroom so that we –  _no_  – she could think. I never got her.

 

"We should tell her the truth."  
"Do you want more?"  
"You're such a jerk, Hye-Jin."  
"I'm protecting Solar."  
"Shit, really, by hurting me?"

 

I cowered in fear as soon as she showed me her fist. Hye-Jin was always the tough one between us. She acted older than her age. I still hardly believed that she was the youngest in our triangle circle. I also wanted to protect Yong-Sun. She changed a lot after the hit and run. I even scored higher than her in everything.


	4. Stalking The Stalker

 Moon Byul-Yi's POV

 

I was so furious I could hospitalise anybody, preferably delinquents. I still had my common sense. I squished the reports in my hands but I made sure I was not completely crumpling them.  _Hye-Jin tricked me_. I took a few deep breaths before I slammed them on her table. The sudden slam startled everybody, even me.

 

"I guess our Byul-Yi is normal after all."  
"You're curious too, huh?"  
"I thought you're not interested in girls."  
"Who are your favourite?"  
"You remind me of those old dog days."

 

I shut my eyes as I recalled those endless teases.  _How could she ask me to grab these freaking reports?_  They contained the measurements of the girls in our class, in detail, with excessive pictures.  _I seem like a pervert_. The teachers trusted me too much. They simply laughed more when I opened them. I hated my curiosity.

 

"I'm sorry for the – bomb."  
"You okay?"  
"I'm fine. How about you?"  
"I'm alright."  
"Have you seen Hye-Jin?"  
"Restroom."  
"Thanks, Yong-Sun, bye."

 

I let my eyes linger on Yong-Sun for a short time before I headed out to find Hye-Jin. She was still fidgeting because of me. I would apologise properly to her later although she did give me the creeps. She always stared at me. I hoped it was out of curiosity. She was innocent.  _How did she befriend the devil? I'll never know_.

 

* * *

 

My anger boiled deep within me as soon as I saw Hye-Jin. She was walking down the hall with Whee-In. They were always together. The puppy was innocent too.  _How did an angel befriend a devil? I'll never_   _know_. She looked at me. She struggled to stifle her laughter as we looked daggers at each other. I hated her.

 

"You're such a jerk, Hye-Jin."  
"Uh-huh, what's new?"  
"You just ruin my reputation."  
"Do you even have it?"  
"Stop being so cheeky, Ahn."

 

I hated her wordplays. She outsmarted me every time we had these ridiculous banters. Whee-In gave me an apologetic look but she did not wrong me. Hye-Jin was the matter.  _Hell_. I would bloody pay to get one from her. She kept making fun of me, around Yong-Sun in particular. I never did her wrong. I rarely talked to her.

 

"It's good you're here."  
"What? What do you mean?"  
"I can use some help."  
"Is this another stupid trick?"  
"How rude. I'm upset."  
"What the – you tricked me."  
"Your stupidity let me."

 

I hated her smug smirks. She wore them every time she was about to win. I hated to lose, all the more to Hye-Jin, but I knew her. Her evil smirk gave me the impression that the devil had already thought of millions of worst remarks.  _Her words are bullets_.  _Her mouth's a gun_.  _I'll never win_. I kept quiet. I let her win again.

 

"You know Yong-Sun, right?"  
"A little."  
"She'll confess to you today."  
"What?"  
"You make her cry. I kill you."

 

I watched her back in pure irritation as Hye-Jin left me with Whee-In in tow. I counted everything she did to annoy me so far. She ditched her duties, she hid my books, she kicked my feet and she messed up the bulletin board in our classroom.  _Why is the devil my assistant? I'll never know_. She even threatened me now.  _Hell_.

 

* * *

Jung Whee-In's POV

 

I was approaching Hye-Jin when I spotted the endless glare she exchanged with Byul-Yi. He scoffed at her before he walked out of the classroom. I laughed at their interaction. I looked at Yong-Sun and I laughed more. She was a chaos. She hurriedly shoved her stuffs into her bag. She was desperate to follow him.

 

"So we're going home first."  
"Bye, Solar."  
"She's becoming a stalker."  
"How crude."  
"We're stalking the stalker."  
"How ironic."  
"We should get boys soon."

 

I nodded along with Hye-Jin as we stealthily followed Yong-Sun. She happily skipped behind her oblivious crush. Byul-Yi was pretty dense when it came to her. She had been following him since a few weeks ago, a few months after the hit and run.  _It's funny_. The old Yong-Sun was never into someone. She was no fun.


	5. One Step Closer

 Moon Byul-Yi's POV

 

I stole a look at Yong-Sun. She was following me.  _What's the big deal?_  I got confessed to many times and I rejected my admirers every time. I was not into serious relationships. I was not into casual relationships either.  _I'll just reject her_. I barely knew her. She came into my life all of a sudden, with those goofy smiles of hers.

 

"Byul-Yi."

 

I stopped walking as soon as she called me. I was beyond nervous. I then slowly turned around to face her. Yong-Sun locked my eyes with hers. Hers seemed to waver before mine. She clenched the straps to her bag as she bit her lower lip. Her cheeks were so puffy. I wanted to fondle them. _Focus, Byul._  I heaved a sigh.

 

"I know what you want to say."  
"Oh."  
"Hye-Jin told me a while ago."  
"Oh."  
"You see. I can't be with you."  
"Oh."  
"I – I don't feel the same way."  
"Oh."  
"I can't accept it. I'm so sorry."

 

I did not want to play with her feelings. Yong-Sun was too innocent. I would worry about Hye-Jin later. I survived her tortures for months. I could last until we graduate. I looked down at the empty pavement. I could not bring myself to look at her but I gave in. The lost expression on her face was overwhelming. It hurt me.

 

Ahn Hye-Jin's POV

 

I clenched my fists as I quickly struck Whee-In. The puppy barked at me and I simply shut her up with another struck.  _Byul-Yi is pissing me off_. Yong-Sun was getting teary and shit and he did absolutely nothing to lessen the blow. He even ratted me out to her. She suddenly took one step closer to him. He flinched in fear.

 

"Do you have someone else?"  
"No. Never."  
"Is it because of my disorder?"  
"No. What?"  
"What do I do? I still love you."  
"Yong-Sun."  
"I – I. I don't want to break up."

 

 _What break up? You're not dating._  I was about to struck Whee-In again but the puppy was getting smarter. She furiously hissed at me as she hurriedly scooted for safety. I scowled at her before I looked back at Yong-Sun. She was staring at Byul-Yi. He seemed to be confused by her words.  _I_ _know_. They confused me too.

 

Moon Byul-Yi's POV

 

 _What confession? She already assume we're together_. I could hardly believe it. I did not know she had a disorder.  _Hell_. I probably heard her wrong. She talked too fast. Yong-Sun was an absolute mystery. I took a tiny step back as she came closer. She started to sniffle at my subtle rejection.  _I give up_. I slowly strolled to her.

 

"I'm sorry I forgot everything about us."  
"Us – what?"  
"I'm sorry I fail every subject this year."  
"Everything?"  
"I'm sorry. It's the crash. I can't help it."  
"Oh – what?"  
"It slowed me. Hurt. Sometimes. Here."

 

Yong-Sun reached out for my hands. She gently put them above her head and I simply patted her there in return. I retracted my hands as soon as she let out whimpers. My heartbeat quickened a little. It was not out of –  _you know, butterflies_  – it was out of fear. She was truly a time bomb.  _I_   _decide to play along for now_.

 

"It's okay, we're okay."  
"We are?"  
"Yes. I'm just teasing."  
"Meanie."  
"I'm sorry, Yong-Sun."  
"Really?"  
"Yes. I'm really sorry."

 

Yong-Sun suddenly hugged me. She practically squeezed the air out of me. My shirt was wet with her tears. She was crying in my arms.  _It's okay, Byul, it's okay_. I reassured myself. I could just let her know the truth later, when I had enough of playing house with her.  _I can use her to keep my_   _secret_. Truth be told.  _I'm_   _a_   _girl_.


	6. It Sounds Familiar

 Moon Byul-Yi's POV

 

I was kicking the kickstand of my bicycle when I noticed Yong-Sun. She was frantically waving at me and I timidly returned the unnecessary gesture. I was not ready to face her.  _What happened again? Oh_. She followed me. I rejected her. She suddenly cried. I accepted her.  _Does this mean we're_   _together?_  I needed clues.

 

"You're early today, Yong-Sun."  
"I want to surprise you."  
"You did surprise me. In a way."  
"Oh no, boo, boo, boo."  
"Hmmm. What are you doing?"  
"I forgot to say it. Boo."  
"Umm. You're being ridiculous."

 

I stated the obvious with a slight frown. Yong-Sun puffed her cheeks at me. She was obviously upset by my lack of enthusiasm to stick to her silly banter. I was in no mood for stupid jokes. I had low blood pressure in the morning.  _Still_. She made me waver.  _I_   _don't know why_. I gave her a broad smile despite my huge headache.

 

* * *

 

I glanced at Yong-Sun every now and then. We were walking together to the classroom. She was happily humming a lullaby.  _I know it was a lullaby because it sounds familiar_. I did not remember its title.  _Hell_. I might never knew its title. I then glanced through the hallway. It was too empty. My fangirls were nowhere in sight.

 

"Boo hoo, sob, boo hoo."

 

I cringed inwardly at the sudden echoes of the unknown. I clenched my fists and I buckled my knees. I was ready to run. Yong-Sun did not even flinch. She seemed to be oblivious to them.  _Worst comes to worst, I'll leave her in the dust_. I considered my plausible thought as I heard them again.  _Hang on_. They were actually cries.

 

"The boys must be lying."  
"It can't be true."  
"It can't. I can't believe it."

 

I squinted my eyes while I strained to discern the distant whispers. We made a turn and we immediately saw two girls huddled in the open. I knew those silly hairstyles.  _They're part of my fan base_. I was about to approach them when Yong-Sun suddenly tugged my shirtsleeve. She looked up at me with teary eyes.  _This girl_.

 

* * *

 

I took deep breaths. Yong-Sun was still sniffling. It took me ten whole minutes to comfort her. Her reaction was too slow.  _I_   _mean_. The cries were already gone by the time she processed them. I even lost sight of the two girls. I looked at Yong-Sun. She nodded at me.  _Let's go_. We got to the classroom after four more turns.

 

"Yong-Kong Byul-Kong are here."  
"Good job, Moon."  
"We could finally have girlfriends."  
"Congratulations."  
"I never knew you were together."

 

I observed them, my male classmates, with mixed feelings.  _They're early_. They happily greeted us with toothy grins, one by one, as soon as we entered the classroom. They even showered us with confetti as they escorted us to our seats. I caught sight of Tae-Seop.  _I can always count on_   _him_. He was different from them.

 

"What's going on?"  
"Hyuk-Woo told us he saw you yesterday."  
"What did he say?"  
"You guys were arguing about something."  
"You had it wrong."  
"He also took pictures of you two hugging."  
"With what again?"  
"He made them into fliers. I got one. Here."  
"What the - heck?"

 

I deliberately toned down the curse because I was around Yong-Sun. I turned around to face her but she was nowhere to be seen.  _Wait a minute, where is she?_  I sighed in relief as soon as I saw her. She was cowering in her seat while those idiots surrounded her with bowls of confetti in hands. I fetched her right away.

 

"It's fine if you don't want to talk about it."  
"No shit. You scared me."  
"The fights between lovers can be nasty."  
"When did you get here?"  
"I wish you the best. You too, Yong-Sun."

 

I was removing the confetti off Yong-Sun when Tae-Seop startled me with his deep voice. I spontaneously covered her ears as I cursed under my breath. He simply patted my back twice before he went back to his seat. His expression was lifeless.  _Hell_. He was always lifeless. He was even dubbed as the dead by our teachers.


	7. Like Lovers Do

 Moon Byul-Yi's POV

 

I dumped the flier Tae-Seop gave me into the trash can. I was angry at Hyuk-Woo.  _No_. I was not angry at him for the rumours. I was angry at him for something else.  _Hell_. I intended to use Yong-Sun, anyway, to put off my fangirls. They followed me everywhere. The crazy ones even followed me to the changing room.  _Really_.

 

"Where's Hyuk-Woo?"

 

I asked Tae-Seop. Hyuk-Woo went too far this time. I shut my eyes as I took deep breaths. I clenched my fists then I unclenched them.  _It's a must when I'm angry_. I was not mad at him because of the flier -  _no_  - it was because of the words under the pictures.  _Via mobile_. He brought his phone to school. I had to confiscate it.

 

"He's upstairs. He's scattering the fliers."  
"How many fliers did he make?"  
"I don't know. I lost count at twenty-one."

 

 _It's a rhetorical question_. I stared at Tae-Seop as he looked around the classroom. He was apparently counting the fliers from the corner of his eyes.  _He's always stuck at_ _twenty_ - _one_. He shook his head before he counted them again. He flunked math, like Yong-Sun.  _No_. She was worst. She did say she flunked every test.

 

* * *

 

Yong-Sun waved me off with a pout. Her eyes were teary. She threw a tantrum because I refused to bring her along with me. Hyuk-Woo was not a good influence on her. He always swore. I told Tae-Seop to keep an eye on her before I left the classroom. Hyuk-Woo was flinging fliers far and wide when I caught him in the act.

 

"Student Handbook. Page 1. Line 22."  
"You  _fucking_  nerd."  
"I'm telling you. Phones are off-limits."

 

I flailed my arms in the air to emphasise my points. I even recited a few more lines to address his beanie and his cusses. I told him the same thing every day but he kept doing the same thing every day.  _That's it_. I took out my weapons. He rolled his eyes.  _Surprise, surprise_. I wrote his name under his name. He got every page.

 

"Hye-Jin, wait."  
"I'm still talking to you."  
"You wait, too."

 

Hyuk-Woo pissed me off again. He was rude. He simply ditched me in the middle of my lecture. I stared at his back in disbelief as he ran after Hye-Jin. I quickly looked up at the devil he mentioned and she simply looked back at me with fiery eyes. Whee-In, as usual, seemed truly apologetic on her behalf. I sighed in reply.

 

Jung Whee-In's POV

 

 _Why?_  I always struggled to maintain a straight face whenever I saw him. Hyuk-Woo always undressed Hye-Jin with his eyes and she always revelled in his unnecessary attention.  _She can do better_. I gave him a small smile before I lowered my gaze to the floor. He nodded at me and his eyes darted to hers in a hurry.

 

"Wait for me, today, after school."  
"What do you want?"  
"I just want to tell you something."

 

 _He's literally confessing_. I clenched my fists. I looked at Hye-Jin. She was contemplating his words.  _She'll accept_   _him_. I knew her. She loved boys more than anything -  _more than me_ \- she told me herself many times. Hyuk-Woo was no exception. I loved Hye-Jin, as a friend, but it hurt.  _She keeps hurting me like lovers do_.

 

"Just tell me. Now."  
"No way. I don't have much time."  
"What's going on?"  
"Byul-Yi, the nerd, is chasing me."  
"Seriously, again?"

 

I looked right through him and I immediately saw Byul-Yi. He was glaring daggers at the lovers-to-be as he gradually approached them with clenched fists. Hye-Jin scoffed at him while Hyuk-Woo hurriedly took off. Byul-Yi ignored Hye-Jin as he went around her but he did not get very far.  _He trips_  -  _no_. She made him.


	8. The Silent Treatment

 Moon Byul-Yi's POV

 

Yong-Sun and I had already been dating for a week. She walked me home every day although I did turn down her kind offer many times. I dreaded the minutes we spent together at first but I looked forward to them in the end.  _I think she's fun to be with, however, she doesn't think the same of me_. She was always grumpy.

 

"We're here. Thanks, Yong-Sun."  
"Humph."  
"I'll see you again, next Monday."  
"Humph."  
"Do you want to go somewhere?"

 

I gave in. Her grumpiness did bother me. She quickly looked up at me. She was all eyes for me.  _I swear if she's a puppy, she'd be happily wagging her tail_. I unconsciously stumbled backward due to her sudden perkiness. I rubbed my chest.  _I can use some prescriptions for her mood swing_. She suddenly shut her eyes.

 

"Hmmm."  
"Do you have anywhere in mind?"  
"Hmmm."  
"You know. We can go to a park."  
"Let's go."  
"I'll put down my things first then."  
"All right."

 

I flashed a smile at her before I hurriedly ran into my dorm. I threw my bag onto the bed and I pulled open the drawer to grab my cap. I let out a sigh as soon as I saw the familiar journal. It was dusty, untouched for months.  _She's waiting_. I reminded myself. I looked over it again before I pushed close the drawer.  _I'll fill it in later_.

 

"I'm sorry for the wait, Yong-Sun."  
"Me fine."  
"I'll treat you to something delish."

 

The blinding twinkles in her eyes made me feel better. Yong-Sun rarely smiled at me these days. She even ignored me from time to time.  _I think her love already runs out by now, hell, it's probably just a small crush to begin with_. I shrugged a little at my thought while I kept adjusting the bill of my cap. I straight up hated sunlight.

 

"Byul-Yi."

 

Yong-Sun was a wonder. She always made me wonder.  _What does she want now_? She made me wonder again, for the nth time, as soon as she shoved the palm of her hand to my face. I spontaneously took a step back from her.  _How can I not?_  She almost gave me a clear cut karate chop. Her pout returned in no time.

 

"Is your hand hurt or something?"  
"It no hurt."  
"Why do you show it to me then?"  
"You slow."  
"Sheesh. I'll walk faster, all right?"

 

Yong-Sun answered me with a scoff. She still held up her hand in front of me.  _High five it is_. I slapped our hands together. Her glowering frown made me believe I made the wrong move. I chatted some more after that but she gave me the silent treatment. Yong-Sun simply eyed up the streets as we silently walked together.

 

* * *

 

The awkward silence was gone as soon as we made it to the park. I took a few deep breaths as I glanced through the crowded place. There were people everywhere. Yong-Sun seemed to be preoccupied with the kids, the dogs, the stalls. I noticed a small ice cream parlour metres away from us.  _I hope it'll make her happy_.

 

"Yong-Sun. Do you want ice cream?"  
"Please?"  
"So which flavour do you want then?"  
"Stobelie."  
"It's strawberry, silly, it's strawberry."  
"Stobelie."  
"I get it. Do you want anything else?"  
"Pringles."  
"I'll order them. You just wait, okay?"  
"Where?"  
"Umm. Come on. I'll find you a seat."

 

 _She doesn't humph me_.  _It's a good sign._ I absentmindedly smiled at her and she quickly returned the gesture. Her smile was indeed bigger than mine. I then pulled her by her shirtsleeve alongside me to a nearby park bench. I made her wait there and she eagerly nodded in return. I shook my head at her frantic mood swing.

 

* * *

 

I looked at Yong-Sun from afar as I waited on our orders. She was kicking some pebbles. She then stared at them. She quickly shook her head before she stooped to her feet. I let out light chuckles as soon as I saw her thoughtfully petting them.  _She feels bad for hurting them_. I had to admit. I kind of loved her company.


	9. One Pringles Monster

 Moon Byul-Yi's POV

 

Yong-Sun was busy lining up the pebbles on the ground when I got back from the ice cream parlour. I coughed a little to get her attention and she immediately turned around to face me. She clapped her hands at the sight of the ice cream cups and the Pringles can. I sat on the park bench and she briefly sat beside me.

 

"Wait."

 

Yong-Sun curiously stared at me as I put the cups and the can between us. She then huffed at me before she flung her hands to them. I quickly slapped them down. She pouted at me in return.  _This girl_. I pulled out some tissues and I took her hands in mine. I gently wiped the dirt off them.  _It's a must_. She picked the pebbles.

 

* * *

 

I really hated sweets. I barely ate my ice-cream by the time Yong-Sun dumped her ice cream cup into a nearby trash can. She leaped about lightly on her way back to her seat. I offered her my ice-cream and she gladly took it. She hungrily scooped it into her mouth. She stopped eating it from time to time to pat her head.

 

"Umm, Yong-Sun?"  
"I have brain freeze. I feel like exploding."  
"Just eat it slower."  
"It makes me feel bad. I better eat it fast."  
"You hate mocha?"  
"No way. I like it. It's better than stobelie."  
"Oh. I'm glad then."  
"See, the better they are the worst I feel."  
"Yes, sure. I get it."

 

 _I don't get it at all_. Yong-Sun finished my ice-cream in no time. She then proceeded to pry open the Pringles can. I unconsciously smiled while I watched her happily munching the potato snacks. I honestly could do this forever.  _Doing nothing_ , _watching her_. Her quirkiness somehow made me forget those pasts for a change.

 

"You know. You keep ignoring me."  
"I'm just mad at you."  
"Why? Did I do something wrong?"

 

Yong-Sun nodded a few times. She popped a Pringles piece into her mouth before she rested her eyes on me. I shifted uncomfortably in my seat while she stared at me. She raised her fingers, one by one, as she quietly mumbled something. My supposed lover was apparently counting my mistakes.  _Just what did I do?_

 

"You don't hold my hands anymore."  
"So? They're yours."  
"You don't call me by any pet name."  
"I prefer your name."  
"But pet names bring people closer."  
"No. I don't think so."  
"Hye-Jin calls Whee-In Whee-pups."

 

 _What anymore? I never held her hands_. I was surprised by her first reasoning but I was more surprised by my reply.  _It's so cheesy I almost puke_. I then thought about her friends.  _Hell_. It was not the pet name that brought them closer. _If anything, it annoys the puppy_. I heaved a sigh. I seriously did not want to upset her.

 

"What do I call you then?"  
"Princess."  
"Pringles? You do love it."  
"Princess."  
"It's cute. It does suit you."  
"Princess."  
"Yes. I'll call you Pringles."

 

I heard her the first time but I refused to comply with her. Her selfish demand made me cringe.  _I'm not calling anybody princess_. She simply puffed her cheeks as she scooted away from me. I would love to squish those puffy cheeks.  _Be still, my soul_. I struggled to hold back my smile as soon as I saw her poking the poor can.

 

"We don't bully our food, Pringles."  
"I hate it."  
"You love it just fine a minute ago."  
"Humph."  
"You feel bad for eating your kin?"

 

Yong-Sun spontaneously widened her eyes at my witty remark. She furiously gritted her teeth before she quickly ate the potato snacks. I teased her again but she kept ignoring me. We were back to square one. I gave up after a few tries. Yong-Sun was too focused on crushing her relatives.  _She's one Pringles Monster_.


End file.
